Ashanti Maternal Fertility Figure

A yam ancestor TOTEM pole from the mid-Sepik River region of Papua New Guinea. Carved out of a solid wood by the Abelam people, who cultivated yams as their main crop, the pole featu...

An Epa helmet mask, Nigeria, Africa. Fully carved mother and child; painted red and black with touches of white; Provenance: The Children's Museum of Indianapolis; The Eiteljorg Mu...

A ritual artifact from the tribe of the Asmat poeple, an ethnic group of New Guinea living in the Papua province of Indonesia and South-western regions of Papua New Guinea, bis or bisj pole is carved out of a wild Mangrove tree and can reach a stunning height Their carvings depict stacked human and animal figures standing and on top always phallic symbols, in the shape of a canoe prow. Bis poles...

A tall and narrow parrying shield from the Aboriginal people living in the Western Australia. The piece was carved out of a single block of hard wood t...

A glazed stoneware jar with lid by American Ceramist Robert Chapman Turner (1913-2005) entitled "Ashanti". The vessel was made in 1974, purchased in 1978 and held in the same collection since. It was published in the artist's monograph as shown below. One of the classic forms with variations in Turner's repertoire since 1970s, the jar feature a slightly irregular form with numerous surface patching and markings under an overall black glaze with blue tint. The dome-shape lid has a cross-shaped handle with small markings. The form was inspired by Ashanti culture he observed during his trips to Africa. Incised signature "Turner" on the base. "In 1971–72, drawn by the power of African sculpture, and wishing to imbue his work with a greater sense of universality, Robert Turner traveled to Nigeria and Ghana. The trip proved transformational. In West Africa he was deeply moved by the way in which art was ingrained in daily experience, and by the beauty of traditional forms of architecture, pottery, ceremonial objects, and decoration. After his return, Turner began to produce series of distinctive vessel types named after African kingdoms and peoples—Ashanti, Ife, Oshogbo, Akan. The first is a squat, lidded pot; the others are cone and cylinder shapes." Smithsonian American Art Museum Robert Turner's work is in numerous museum collections including the Smithsonian Museum of American Art, Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City. For this piece, see page 33 in "Robert Turner Shaping Silence A Life in Clay" by Marsha Miro and Tony Hepburn.

A glazed stoneware jar with lid by American Ceramist Robert Chapman Turner (1913-2005) entitled "Ashanti". The vessel was made in 1979 and was in...

Standing Akan Ghana female figure, early 20th century, Africa. Intense expression with large eyes. Female figure with one hand on her breast, representing presenting nourishment from...

A fine Ashanti maternity figure by the master carver Osei Bonsu. The mother figure is seated on a simple backless chair. An infant lays calmly in her la...

The supports for Akan stools take many forms, they can be purely geometric or architectural with simple posts and columns, or, as in this case, figural, wit...

A wonderful set of five early 20th century iron phallus figures from Togo. Fertility figures like these were planted in the ground of a farmer's fiel...

Ashanti cast bronze ceremonial staff top in the shape of a hoe with 3 cast turtles, from Ghana. It is in good condition with a deep patina and polish from traditional use, appropria...

The stool was loved by its owner, repaired in several places with decorated metal straps. It has an openwork, tiered lattice central post and four support posts. It has the older sty...